ECN Sites: Alice Holt

Sponsoring organisation(s)

Site Characteristics

* calculated from the ECN database

Description

The history of Alice Holt forest can be traced back over 2000 years and is believed to have originated during the Atlantic period. Iron Age and Roman relics found within the forest point to a long history of human inhabitation. The forest has belonged to the crown since William the Conqueror adopted it as a Royal Hunting Forest. The Forestry Commission has actively managed the forest since 1924 and it has been the focus of research activities since 1946.

Alice Holt Forest Park covers 851 hectares of mainly Corsican pine but approximately 140 ha. of original 1820 oak still remain. The ancient forest is now a truly multi-purpose woodland where research, conservation, timber production and recreation co-exist.

Related Links

• Forest Research have their own web pages for the ECN site at Alice Holt.
• Sue Benham (Forest Research) has developed a Forestry Commission Research Note reviewing the long-term datasets collected at the Alice Holt ECN site. The trends in the data, including the impacts of climate change and pollution, are explored.

Ms Sue Benham

Forest Research
Environmental and Human Sciences Division, Alice Holt Lodge, Wrecclesham, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 4LH
sue.benham@forestry.gsi.gov.uk